Category Archives: Blog

When pollution happens

on August 7, 2021 in Blog

If I talk about not flying, someone is bound to tell me how their spouse lives overseas so they have to fly to visit family or their mother lives on the other coast so they have to fly to see her on holidays and if she’s sick. People walking with disposable containers claim the store cashier gave them the bags and packaging. What could they do? We claim we’re helpless[…] Keep reading →

Doof: most fruit yogurt and chocolates are misnamed

on October 22, 2020 in Blog

I don’t like doof. I don’t like how its manufacturers try to make it resemble food, especially for kids, like in the first example. Look at the ingredients for what they call “banana” yogurt. Banana is the third ingredient. Sugar is the second. Shouldn’t it be called “sugar” yogurt then? Most would-be fruit yogurts contain more sugar than fruit. I suggest we call them all sugar yogurt. Here are other[…] Keep reading →

Our peeled grapes

on September 27, 2020 in Blog

We became biologically human about 300,000 years ago. For all that time until about 10,000 years ago, our ancestors drank milk as infants, then only water for the rest of their lives. Historians and anthropologists speculate that honey wine became the first non-water beverage our ancestors drank, possibly predating cultivating plants. By my childhood, the market provided plenty of beverages—including milk varieties, wines, beers, other alcohols, fruit juices, and sodas.[…] Keep reading →

Thoughts on yesterday’s 100-mile bike ride

on September 25, 2020 in Blog

The physical and mental experience Physically, I loved the experience of yesterday’s ride, grueling as I found it, because I wanted to give up so many times. I lifted weights two days before and did some Turkish Get-ups (an all-over lifting exercise that includes lunges) the day before, which resulted in being unable to get out of the bike’s lowest gear for many hills toward the end. I probably spent[…] Keep reading →

Reader questions

on July 8, 2020 in Blog

I’ve meant for years to post to solicit questions from readers. You know you have questions about something I cover—burpees, leadership, entrepreneurship, education, stewardship, swimming across the Hudson River, posting daily, etc. Contact me here. When I meet people in person or email one-on-one, people say they’ve wanted to know something about me or what I write. I’ll keep names discrete if requested.

See me on Rise to the Occasion with Chelsea Behrens

on March 18, 2020 in Blog

Chelsea Behrens created a community on Corporate Career Courage: how to be a catalyst for change, a champion for diversity, and thrive as a leader. She interviewed me and posted the video. We covered a range of leadership topics and stories. She went from having done no burpees to 66 days in a row and counting! Watch the video Show notes Interview with Joshua Spodek Josh Spodek is a leader[…] Keep reading →

See my interview in the Let’s Reach Success blog

on February 24, 2020 in Blog

The Let’s Reach Success blog posted today an interview its host, Lidiya K, did with me, entitled How to Write an Amazon Bestseller, Become a TEDx Speaker and Host an Award-Winning Podcast. As you can tell from the title, she covered the books, podcast, and TEDx talks—a comprehensive interview. About Lidiya: Lidiya K I’m a full-time blogger, lifestyle designer and the founder of Let’s Reach Success. Join me to learn[…] Keep reading →

Social media is gossip — global and anonymous gossip

on November 23, 2019 in Blog

People fear social media. They see what it does to relationships and communities. Next time you see people say something on social media self-righteous, mean, condemning, etc about someone you know or at least know of, ask if the people are gossiping — except instead of over the backyard fence in private, to the world in public, which responds in kind. All cultures gossip, I hear. Evolutionary psychology tells us[…] Keep reading →

245: Tia Nelson, part 1: Earth Day

on November 15, 2019 in Blog

One of my main goals for this podcast is to bring people who love acting on one’s environmental values, seeing stewardship not as an obligation but as being a part of something greater than yourself, than any of us, benefiting everyone, and yourself. As you’ll hear, Tia’s roots precede the first Earth Day. Her father started it. Despite so many problems remaining — basically all of them — she’s the[…] Keep reading →

Sign up for my weekly newsletter